Introduction

Do you ever get the feeling that your "golden years" have lost their "luster"?

There can be a variety of reasons why you feel this way. You suddenly notice that the listings in your address book are dwindling as friends and family move or pass away. Certain health problems may be interfering with your ability to get around. Hearing loss may be cutting you off from people. Little by little---almost without realizing it---you, like many other older people, begin to feel isolated and awfully lonely.

Alcohol as a Companion

When older people find themselves in the position of feeling alone, with nothing to do and no place to go, alcohol can become a cheap and easy companion.

A glass of inexpensive wine at lunch and then again at dinner, or a few bottles of beer in front of the TV, all may seem like a "quick fix"---to relax, to get comfortable, to mask a pain, to get a good night's sleep, or to recreate warm memories of times once spent with a spouse or good friend.

The fact that it is generally considered socially acceptable for adults to drink alone, especially within the confines of their own home, makes it even easier for older people to seek comfort in alcohol.

How common is this type of drinking among seniors?

An Invisible Epidemic

Despite our images of alcoholics as unkempt, "down and out" men on Main Street or Skid Row, researchers have discovered an "invisible epidemic" of drinking problems among seniors, both men and women, living in the community⁴.

In fact, it is estimated that as many as 17 per cent of all adults age 60 years or older have a drinking problem. One study of seniors between the ages of 60 and 94 living in the community, found that 62% consumed alcohol and that six per cent consumed more than two drinks per day ⁵. Surveys suggest that the prevalence of problem drinking in nursing homes may be as high as 49 per cent ¹.

The problem is largely hidden because it occurs behind closed doors. As opposed to the club and bar settings that attract our youth, drinking among seniors takes place in private homes and apartments and at retirement communities where drinking at social gatherings is often the norm¹. Because most seniors don't have to get to work at a regularly specified time, and may not have the same number of social ties as younger people, it is a problem that often goes unnoticed by family members, close friends, and even professionals.

While older people visit their family practitioner several times a year, physicians generally fail to recognize drinking problems when they appear⁴. Doctors may not be attuned to the symptoms of problem drinking in older persons and may erroneously attribute falls, mental confusion, traffic accidents and other problems resulting from alcohol use to illness or the aging process itself.

Seniors may also try to hide their alcohol use from their doctors. And even when physicians suspect that an older person has a drinking problem, doctors may be too embarrassed or too busy to do anything about it. In some cases, they are simply too forgiving. They don't think of older persons as problem drinkers and say to themselves, "So what if an older person gets some enjoyment from drinking?"

Factors that Complicate Drinking Among Seniors

Clearly, the combination of age, alcohol use, medical problems and medication use can cause serious problems for seniors. For a variety of reasons, older people are less able to tolerate the effects of alcohol ⁶. Adults over the age of 65 are more likely to have at least one chronic health problem that makes them particularly vulnerable to the effects of alcohol. For example, alcohol can worsen existing hypertension, heart problems, diabetes, and memory lapses. Heavy drinking extracts a terrible toll. It can permanently damage the brain and central nervous system, as well as organs such as the liver, heart, kidneys, and stomach.

Many seniors also have misperceptions about possible beneficial effects of alcohol use. Because sleep patterns change as people age, seniors may mistakenly use alcohol as a sleeping aid. In truth, alcohol actually makes insomnia worse by causing increased wakefulness during the night.

When mixed with prescribed and over-the-counter medications, which are commonly used by seniors, alcohol greatly increases the potential for unforeseen health problems and may even prove deadly. Alcohol can negatively affect compliance with treatment, and during bouts of drinking, people often forget to take prescribed medications that are essential to their well-being ⁵.

Warning Signs

For these reasons, the same standards that are used to define "moderate drinking" in a 40 year-old do not apply to someone over the age of 60. The National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse (NIAAA) defines "moderate" drinking for seniors as no more than 12 ounces of beer, or 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of hard liquor per day¹. In other words, that means no more than one beer, or one glass of wine or one shot of hard liquor per day.

Because seniors span more than four decades in age and differ from one another on a range of other dimensions (including medical conditions and medications used), each individual must determine the appropriateness of these guidelines for themselves, in consultation with their physician.

However, the National Institute of Aging (NIA) has identified several signs to help determine if someone has a drinking problem. These include²:

• Drinking to calm nerves
• Losing interest in food
• Lying or trying to hide drinking habits
• Drinking alone more often
• Hurting oneself, or someone else, after drinking
• Getting intoxicated or drunk more than 3-4 times per year
• Needing more alcohol to get "high"
• Feeling irritable when not drinking
• Having medical, social or financial problems as a result of drinking

Finding Solutions

In The Recovery Book, a resource guide for recovering alcoholics, addicts, and their families, Dr. A. J. Mooney and his collaborators aptly note, "... Loneliness is real. The problems of aging are real. But alcohol doesn't make them go away³ ( P. 27)".

You may recognize some of the above mentioned symptoms as applying to you or to a close friend or relative. If so, then recognizing that a drinking problem exists is the first step in solving it. Listed below are several steps you can take to actually prevent the problem of loneliness---and to avoid inappropriate alcohol use in the first place:

Reach out to others

Take the initiative to talk to a neighbor, a relative, or a friend. At first, you may be hesitant to reach out to someone new, but you will find that most people respond favorably to a smile, a greeting, or a friendly gesture. Show interest in some aspect of their life--their work, their hobbies, or their family. Tell them something about yourself. Try to find some common interest. Once you get used to reaching out to others, you will find it easier to do next time around.

Help someone else

People always feel better when they can help someone else. Volunteer at a senior center or religious organization. When seniors share their time and knowledge with younger people, both groups benefit from the experience. Many senior centers have programs set up to match seniors with others in the community who may benefit from a relationship with an older person. There may be opportunities to play with pre-schoolers, read to young children, or to help young entrepreneurs by sharing the occupational skills you once used in your own work. If you can't leave your home, see if you can become a telephone buddy to someone else living nearby who is also alone.

Get on-line

More and more seniors are learning to use the Internet to find out information, to pursue hobbies and other interests, and to communicate--- through e-mail or in chat rooms--- with family, friends, and other seniors. Chances are, if you are reading this article, you may already know how to use search engines to help you identify web sites and mailing lists. The potential of the new Internet technology is so vast that it is very likely you will find opportunities to meet and connect with people who share your interests. If you are having trouble doing so, your local library or senior center may be able to identify support groups or chat rooms.

If You Think Someone Has a Drinking Problem

Remember that drinking doesn't solve any problems, including the problem of loneliness, and can only make things worse.

If you think you or someone you know may be drinking too much or too often, you need to do something about it. If you suspect a problem and need advice about how to deal with it, speak to your physician, a clergyman, or to a counselor at a senior center or alcohol treatment program.

Many people find that Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.) meetings offer them strength and support to overcome drinking problems (Please see link below to AA). Other seniors feel it more comfortable to seek support from their age peers at senior citizen programs. Check out the resources available in your own community, and make choices that feel right for you.

But be sure to keep in mind that regardless of age, alcoholism is a treatable illness. Don't be ashamed to ask for help. Your health and mental health are at stake.